Basecamp Confidential

Latest Stories

Environment

The Southwest Is on Fire Right Now. I'm a Smokejumper—America's First Line of Defense.

America’s first line of wildfire defense is often a small team of parachute-equipped firefighters. One of them shares what the job looks like from the inside.

Corey BuhayJuly 2, 2026

Essays

Knock, Knock. I’m Your Local Doping Officer, and I’m Here to Collect Your Pee.

Doping control officers show up to athletes’ homes unannounced, at all hours, to make sure they’re competing clean. They don’t always receive a warm welcome.

Corey BuhayJune 8, 20261

Everest

100-Pound Packs, Icy Winds, and Wads of Cash: The Highs and Lows of an Everest Sherpa Porter

Every year, dozens of local Sherpa work as porters and staffers at Everest Base Camp. Here’s what the work is really like.

Corey BuhayMay 8, 2026

Water Sports

I’m a Professional Raft Guide. Here Is the Messy, Low-Paid Reality of My “Dream Job."

Few raft guides last more than a season or two. One ten-year veteran shares her secret for cracking the code.

Corey BuhayApril 2, 20262

Wellness

Is Being a Fitness Influencer as Glamorous as It Looks? One Creator Spills the Tea.

Going viral might sound like an aspiring influencer’s dream. But according to one creator, things only get harder from there.

Corey BuhayFebruary 26, 2026

Opinion

'We Have to Disguise Science as Patriotism.' What It’s Like to Work as a National Park Ranger Right Now.

It used to be a dream job. In many ways, it still is. This is what it’s really like to work in America’s national parks in the present climate.

Corey BuhayFebruary 5, 20265

Essays

Breaking Horses, Driving Cattle, and What 'Yellowstone' Got Wrong: I’m a Full-Time Professional Cowboy

A career cowboy gives us an inside look at one of the most demanding jobs in America.

Corey BuhayJanuary 5, 20262

Everest

Base Camp Drama, Rescues, and $10K Tips: Inside the Life of a Mount Everest Guide

High-altitude guiding may be one of the most brutal dream jobs on earth. A longtime pro shares the good—and the bad.

Corey BuhayDecember 18, 20253

Essays

I’m a Lifty at a Big-Name Ski Resort. This Is Everything You've Ever Wondered About My Job.

This is what it’s really like to work a sprawling ski resort’s most unglorified gig

Corey BuhayDecember 5, 20252

Essays

What It Really Takes to Guide Rich People Through High-Stakes Terrain

Keeping ultra-wealthy clients safe in serious avalanche terrain isn’t always easy. A longtime helicopter ski guide shares what it’s really like.

Corey BuhayNovember 19, 20252

Essays

Egos and Terrible Outfits: What It’s Really Like to Work at a Fancy $5,000-a-Night Dude Ranch

After working for some of the spendiest luxury ranches in the West, this full-time wrangler tells us what it’s really like behind the scenes

Corey BuhayNovember 5, 20254

Basecamp Confidential

Latest Stories

The Southwest Is on Fire Right Now. I'm a Smokejumper—America's First Line of Defense.

Knock, Knock. I’m Your Local Doping Officer, and I’m Here to Collect Your Pee.

100-Pound Packs, Icy Winds, and Wads of Cash: The Highs and Lows of an Everest Sherpa Porter

I’m a Professional Raft Guide. Here Is the Messy, Low-Paid Reality of My “Dream Job."

Is Being a Fitness Influencer as Glamorous as It Looks? One Creator Spills the Tea.

'We Have to Disguise Science as Patriotism.' What It’s Like to Work as a National Park Ranger Right Now.

Breaking Horses, Driving Cattle, and What 'Yellowstone' Got Wrong: I’m a Full-Time Professional Cowboy

Base Camp Drama, Rescues, and $10K Tips: Inside the Life of a Mount Everest Guide

I’m a Lifty at a Big-Name Ski Resort. This Is Everything You've Ever Wondered About My Job.

What It Really Takes to Guide Rich People Through High-Stakes Terrain

Egos and Terrible Outfits: What It’s Really Like to Work at a Fancy $5,000-a-Night Dude Ranch

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